Who should be the 49ers QB for the rest of the year?

First off, I LOVE Harbaugh. I love every bit of his quirky thought process, but Wednesday's press conference is going to be hilarious...

Wednesday's press conference:

Reporter: "So coach, have you named a starting quarterback?"

Harbaugh: "I'll get to that in a second, but first I want to make a few announcements, and clear up a few things. First, it looks like Kyle Williams will be out for the season. Tough blow to our team, as he was a real team guy. Hunter might also be out for a while, but we know that we have guys on the team who will step up and fill in without skipping a beat, because they are team players and have been preparing to have this opportunity, and that is what "team" is all about.
We have a very tough opponent coming up, whom we played a very hard fought game against recently which ended kind of awkward with a draw of sorts. We're going to have to play very well as a team if we want to get a "W" against them on their turf. So I told my team today to remember to focus on the TEAM the TEAM the TEAM, and not to let all the other chicken scratch and turkey gobble gobble distract them. I guarantee that we will win or lose this next game as a TEAM. There will be no single player responsible for victory this coming Sunday. Every single player on the team will be important to our team goal.
Second, on that note I would like to clear up who the starting quarterback of this team is. The starting quarterback of the 49ers is Alex Smith. That has always been the case, and it will remain so for the rest of the season. He is "our guy". He has done nothing at all to lose his job, and that is why he will remain the starting quarterback.

Reporter: "So Smith will start against the Rams this Sunday?"

Harbaugh: "Woh there! Wait a second. I didn't say that. Please don't put words into my mouth. I haven't announced the starter yet, I will get to that in a minute."

Reporter: "Uh ok, but..."

Harbaugh: "...The TEAM. The TEAM. The TEAM. That is what is important here. I know you have to write your articles and sell them smoking hot off the presses and try to create a little drama that isn't there; but that is not how the San Francisco 49ers operate.
So now I'd like to announce the starting quarterback for this Sunday. As if this even matters, but for some reason you guys just love these little announcements. The starting quarterback for this Sunday against the Rams is going to be Colin Kaepernick.

Reporter: "So what is the reason you're going with Colin this week, if you feel Alex is your starting quarterback?"

Harbaugh: "I feel that, at this time, we have the best chance to win as a TEAM with Colin at quarterback this week."

Reporter: "Is it because you feel his style of play has a particular advantage against the Rams defense?"

Harbaugh: "No, not really. The opponent in particular has nothing to do with the decision actually."

Reporter: "Do you still feel that Alex is completely over his concussion symptoms?"

Harbaugh: "Definitely. I spoke with the doctors and they have given him a 100% clean bill of health, and Alex told me he feels great."

Reporter: "But..."

Harbaugh: "...and that is great because Alex Smith is our starting quarterback, the team captain, one of our team leaders, and it will be great to have him 100% ready to go on Sunday."

Reporter: "But if he is 100% healthy, and there is no particular match up advantage Colin brings against the Rams, then why..."

Harbaugh: "See I KNEW this would happen! I KNEW it. You guys have to write up your stories, and try to drum up all kinds of circus side shows, just to get people all riled up so they buy your articles and web blogs.

Reporter: "Web blogs?"

Harbaugh: "I think it is 100% crystal clear. Alex is the starting quarterback of this football team. He is "the man"."

Reporter: "But not 'the man' who will be walking out to the huddle when the offense takes the field in St. Louis?"

Harbaugh: "I really fail to see how any of this actually matters! Our football TEAM will walk out onto the field in St. Louis. This isn't fantasy football. This is a real football game, and real football games are won by real TEAMS, not by fantasy web blogs, and gobbledy gobble articles in newspapers."

Reporter: "So you are starting your BACKUP quarterback?"

Harbaugh: "See again. Look, all this terminology just serves to tear people down, and I'm not about that. This team is not about that. Really guys, I don't think there is much more to say about this issue."

Reporter: "After this press conference, believe me coach, there is going to be a LOT more to say about this issue."

Harbaugh: "Well that's too bad, because it should be about the GAME. That's what really matters. Not the fantasy stats or who's the favorite player on the web blog. The game is just so much bigger than all of this side show stuff."

Reporter: "Do you think it is wise to have the starting quarterback position 'up in the air', week-to-week?"

Harbaugh: "Absolutely not. Why do you say its 'up in the air'?"

Reporter: "'Up in the air' in the sense that the team will not know who the starter is week-to-week?"

Harbaugh: "The team knows who will start the games week-to-week."

Reporter: "Who?"

Harbaugh: "Colin Kaepernick."

Reporter: "Colin is going to be the starting quarterback going forward?!"

Harbaugh: "My gosh, I don't get what is not clicking here today. Alex Smith is the starting quarterback! What is that now, the 10th time I've said that?"

Reporter: "So Alex Smith is 'the starting quarterback', yet Colin Kaepernick will actually be starting the games week-to-week and into the foreseeable future?!"

Harbaugh: "Bingo!"

Reporter: "So Smith is 'The Starting Quarterback', just like 'The Queen of England' is 'The Queen'?"

Harbaugh: "See now, that's just unnecessary. Why do you have to go on and do that? Why do you have to diminish the guy? Just to go sell a paper? Just to go sell your blog?"

Reporter: "Don't worry about that coach, after this interview, the papers will sell themselves."

Originally posted by Humboldt9er:
im getting sick of arguing with 70% of you guys who have never had faith in alex. let me make this simple. if alex puts up the same numbers against the saints as kaep you guys want him benched. kaep dose it and hes the next joe montana. 70 percent of you guys are idiots and im sick of hearing your opnions. im going silent tell we get our real qb back. if this franchise is going to be this unloyal i will watch but i sure as hell wont get butterflies before the game like i do now. i was disgusted with how we treated joe and it took me along time to get over it. if we do it to alex.....wow. i know dont let the door hit me on the way out. F*^% 70 percent of you guys. im out. 1 less webzone addict.

Originally posted by Dirty9er:
Alex Smith did not "lose" his job to an injury! He lost his job because our head coach took an opportunity to insert the "better" player. The player HE PICKED,,, The "player" HE (JH) see's in practice everyday! It amazes me that when JH kept AS in the lineup, the Smith fans made themselves believe that it was because JH was convinced of the greatness of AS... But when JH makes a move away from AS it's some kind of conspiracy, ineptitude or shortsightedness! JH went with the better QB! A QB that can convert 3rd downs, a QB without a million limitations... CK is flat out Better than Smith! And our spectacularly brilliant head coach "Coach of the YEAR" knew it, knows it and did something about it... Great players don't lose their jobs to injury!

Dirty

well said

then why wasn't CK7 inserted as a starter earlier? If Harbs has always known that CK is better, why not play him from jump?

This is a valid question, however I think the answer is simple. Alex was not playing poorly before he got hurt. He was playing Alex-safe football. He was not playing great either. There was really no reason to pull him and put in an untested rookie. When Alex got hurt Kaep had to go in, no choice. Once in, he took full advantage of his opportunity and showed what he has. We saw it, the commentators saw it, the coaches saw it. There's no denying the talent this kid has. Kaep may have surprised JH (and everybody else) to some degree. The offense is more explosive. He brings more weapons. Most everyone see this.

bottom line kaps the starter everyone talks about he has the same stats as alex he easily has near or more than 350 passing against the saints without the drop passes and and dumb penelties he is our future and our future is now #6

Kinda forgot about this. Harbaugh was embroiled in a qb controversy too with Mike Tomczak.

Both Tomczak and Harbaugh played behind starter Jim McMahon in 1987 and most of 1988. Tomczak started five games in 1988 and Harbaugh two. In 1989, Tomczak started 11 games and Harbaugh five. Harbaugh beat out Tomczak for the starting job in 1990 and started the first 14 games before sustaining a shoulder injury. Tomczak started the final two games and two playoff contests. Tomczak was left unprotected under Plan B last spring and was signed by the Packers.

Alex Smith seemed to deal with Kaep as a better team mate than Tomczak ever did with Harbaugh coming in as a rookie. It's a shame, because the contentious relationship help neither guys nor the Bears when they were already a playoff caliber team.

Originally posted by English:
Tolzein. Lets get us a three way controversy.

There really isn't a controversy... CK is better than AS - The only "controversy" is in the mind of the Alex fan. The head coach has "his" guy,,, the organization "trust" its head coach. It's just a handful of the "excuse posse" and of course the media that having an issue with this "Improvement" of the team we all say we love. I trust JH! And if AS is as good as some are pretending then he'll be a starter again but I wouldn't hold my breath. P.S. Tolzein is gonna be a great backup for us!

There really isn't a controversy... CK is better than AS - The only "controversy" is in the mind of the Alex fan. The head coach has "his" guy,,, the organization "trust" its head coach. It's just a handful of the "excuse posse" and of course the media that having an issue with this "Improvement" of the team we all say we love. I trust JH! And if AS is as good as some are pretending then he'll be a starter again but I wouldn't hold my breath. P.S. Tolzein is gonna be a great backup for us!

Originally posted by English:
Tolzein. Lets get us a three way controversy.

There really isn't a controversy... CK is better than AS - The only "controversy" is in the mind of the Alex fan. The head coach has "his" guy,,, the organization "trust" its head coach. It's just a handful of the "excuse posse" and of course the media that having an issue with this "Improvement" of the team we all say we love. I trust JH! And if AS is as good as some are pretending then he'll be a starter again but I wouldn't hold my breath. P.S. Tolzein is gonna be a great backup for us!

Dirty

Most people will have realised that my post wasn't entirely serious.

It's an internet chat room, debating things we cannot control - lol None of us are "most people".

IMO, Alex should get the reigns for the rest of the season. Give him his fair shot to win a SB. If he does, great....he automatically earns the remainder of his contract. Anything less, give him the boot and lets move on to the Kaep era.

Alex has done a lot of damage during his tenure here. He's picked up his game dramatically these past 2 years, and he's earned the right to get us to the big game. BUT, if he cannot do it with this DEFENSE, this RB crew, this OLINE, these WRs, and this COACHING STAFF....then we know he's not good enough with a great supporting cast.

Originally posted by Faraz80:
If Harbaugh sticks with Kaep from here on out, Im all for it.

IMO, Alex should get the reigns for the rest of the season. Give him his fair shot to win a SB. If he does, great....he automatically earns the remainder of his contract. Anything less, give him the boot and lets move on to the Kaep era.

Alex has done a lot of damage during his tenure here. He's picked up his game dramatically these past 2 years, and he's earned the right to get us to the big game. BUT, if he cannot do it with this DEFENSE, this RB crew, this OLINE, these WRs, and this COACHING STAFF....then we know he's not good enough with a great supporting cast.

Alex in 2012.....Kaep in 2013 - xxx if Alex doesnt win the SB.

People know how big a fan I am of Alex... but I can more or less agree with all of this. Asking for SB or release is a bit harsh... but those little circumstances will play a role in such a decision. Plus, if the coaches really feel that in 2013, Ck7 can do as much (or more) as Alex can? Then, it makes financial sense to ditch Alex's contract and hand some of that money over to retain a very good player... like Goldson.

BUT... this year should belong to Alex... unless he stinks it up for the next 2-3 weeks. But I do feel he deserves this season... and that rushing Ck7 in this season would be premature and.. just wrong.

This site is neither endorsed, nor sponsored by, nor affiliated with San Francisco 49ers or NFL Properties LLC. 49ers is a registered trademark of the San Francisco 49ers LLC. All teams and players mentioned are registered trademarks of the NFL and its respective teams. The use of any team names, words, trademarks, logos or photos have been used for descriptive purposes only. The content and information from other sites is the property of their respective owners. Player and team photos used with permission from USA TODAY Sports Images.